'''Scavenger''' is both a carnivorous+ and a herbivorous+feeding behavior+ in which the scavenger feeds on dead animal and plant material present in its habitat. The eating of carrion from the same species is referred to as cannibalism+. Scavengers play an important role in the ecosystem+ by consuming the dead animal and plant material. Decomposer+s and detritivore+s complete this process, by consuming the remains left by scavengers.

Scavenger is an alteration of ''scavager,'' from Middle English ''skawager'' meaning "customs+ collector", from ''skawage'' meaning "customs", from Old North French ''escauwage'' meaning "inspection", from ''schauwer
'' meaning "to inspect", of Germanic+ origin; akin to Old English+ ''scēawian'' meaning "to look at", and modern English "show" (with semantic drift+).

Well-known scavengers of animal material include vulture+s, burying beetle+s, blowflies+, yellowjacket+s, and raccoon+s. Many large carnivore+s that hunt regularly, such as hyena+s, but also animals rarely thought of as scavengers, such as lion+s and wolves+, will scavenge if given the chance. They may also use their size and ferocity to intimidate the original hunters (the cheetah+ is a notable exception). Almost all scavengers above insect size will hunt if not enough carrion+ is available, as few ecosystems provide enough dead animals year-round to keep its scavengers fed on that alone. Scavenger dog+s and crow+s frequently exploit roadkill+. Despite its reputation as a ferocious freshwater predator, the red-bellied piranha+ is actually a generally timid scavenger, fulfilling a role similar to vultures on land. Scavengers of dead plant material include termites+ that build nests in grasslands and then collect dead plant material for consumption within the nest. The interaction between scavenging animals and humans is seen today most commonly in suburban settings with animals such as opossums, pole cats, and raccoons. In some African towns and villages, scavenging from hyenas is also common.

In the prehistoric eras, the ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' may have been an apex predator+, preying upon hadrosaur+s, ceratopsia+ns, and possibly sauropods, although some experts have suggested the dinosaur was primarily a scavenger. The debate about whether ''Tyrannosaurus'' was an apex predator or scavenger was among the longest ongoing feud in paleontology+; however, most scientists now agree that ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' was an opportunistic carnivore, acting as both a predator and a scavenger.

Animals which consume feces+, such as dung beetle+s, are referred to as coprovores+. Animals that collect small particles of dead organic material of both animal and plant origin are referred to as detritivore+s.

In humans, necrophagy is taboo in most societies. Many instances have occurred in history, especially in war times, where necrophagy was a survival behavior.

In the 1950s, Louis Binford suggested that early humans+ were obtaining meat via scavenging+, not hunting+. In 2010, Dennis Bramble and Daniel Lieberman however proposed that early humans used long-distance running+ to hunt, pursuing a single animal until it died of exhaustion and hyperthermia. Such behavior has been suggested as an adaptation to ensure a food supply that in turn made large brain+s possible.

The eating of human meat, a practice known as anthropophagy (and known across all species more commonly as cannibalism+), is extremely taboo in almost every culture.

Young people in developing countries revert to scavenging to develop entrepreneurship skills in order to operate in hostile economic contexts.

In India, the term "manual scavenging+" is used to the removal of raw (fresh and untreated) human excreta+ from buckets or other containers that are used as toilets+ or from the pits of pit latrines+. The excreta are piled into baskets which the workers may carry on their heads to locations sometimes several kilometers from the latrines. The employment of manual scavengers is officially prohibited in India since 1993 but is still taking place to this day.

The name is properly "scavager" or "scaveger", an official who was concerned with the receipt of custom duties+ and the inspection (scavage) of imported goods. The "scavagers" are found with such officials of the City of London as an aleconner+ or beadle+. These officials seem to have been charged also with the cleaning of the streets, and the name superseded the older rakyer+ for those who performed this duty.
These professions are essential to urban settings operating at the highest capacity. The garbage collection jobs and scavenging professions allow urban populations to continue unhindered by outbreaks and disease most commonly brought by the build-up of physical waste. These jobs were of the most importance before the time of functional sewer systems and indoor plumbing.

Scavenger+ Scavenger is both a carnivorous and a herbivorous feeding behavior in which the scavenger feeds on dead animal and plant material present in its habitat.

Hybosoridae+ Hybosoridae, sometimes known as the scavenger scarab beetles, is a family of scarabaeiform beetles. The 210 species in 33 genera occur widely in the tropics, but little is known of their biology.

Scavenger hunt+ A scavenger hunt is a party game in which the organizers prepare a list defining specific items, which the participants – individuals or teams – seek to gather all items on the list – usually without purchasing them – or perform tasks or take photographs of the items, as specified.

Scavenger (Transformers)+ Scavenger is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers universes. Scavenger is usually depicted as one of the Constructicons who turns into a construction vehicle and combine into Devastator.

Scavenger Hunt+ Scavenger Hunt is a 1979 comedy film with a large ensemble cast.

Scavenger receptor+ Scavenger receptors are a group of receptors that recognize modified low-density lipoprotein (LDL) by oxidation or acetylation.

Scavenger (comics)+ The Scavenger is the name of two DC Comics supervillains with no known connections with each other. The first Scavenger was Peter Mortimer, an Aquaman villain who debuted in Aquaman vol.

Scavengers' Paradise+ Scavengers' Paradise (Traditional Chinese: 同撈同煲) is a TVB period drama series broadcast in April 2005.

Scavenger's daughter+ The Scavenger's daughter was a type of torture device invented in the reign of King Henry VIII of England.

Scavenger (chemistry)+ A scavenger in chemistry is a chemical substance added to a mixture in order to remove or de-activate impurities and unwanted reaction products, for example oxygen, to make sure that they will not cause any unfavorable reactions.